1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Introduction

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The more genuine and the deeper our community becomes, the more will everything else between us recede, the more clearly and purely will Jesus Christ and his work become the one and only thing that is vital between us. We have one another only through Christ, but through Christ we do have one another, wholly, and for all eternity.

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Life Together (p. 13). (Function). Kindle Edition.

Need

There are serious needs in the local congregation that need to be addressed. We still have to pay for the lights, the bulletins, the communion, and everything else that goes on in the church. These cannot be neglected or pushed to the side. At the same time, we cannot assume that true, godly fellowship will take place in our midsts.

Let us refocus and reemphasize the divine call for fellowship.

Referent

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Organization

Called

Gifted

Unified

Sermon in a sentence:

I am called to fellowship.

Called (vs. 1-3)

Audience (Corinth)

The City

Corinth was a wild city. It is a small Isthmus that connect the mainland of Greece to Achaia. It is about 4 miles wide and housed roughly a quarter of a million people. There were temples to numerous deities throughout the area. The largest temple was to Aphrodite. This temple housed 1,000 female temple prostitutes and priestesses.

Corinth was a huge economic and social influence. Economically, there were 6 ports open. Small ships would even be rolled on wood logs across the Isthmus instead of unloaded.

Socially, freedmen and slaves were drawn to this area for work, worship, and wild weekends. Corinth was like sin city. There was a Greek word to Corinthinize. It was like Crete, which is not too far from Corinth. It meant that someone was doing something immoral.

The Church

This church could have made some sailors blush. This was a rough group of Christians. We will see this as we preach through this book.

However, they were called holy. Paul says that this church “has been called or has been made holy by God”.

There are 3 kinds of sanctification

1. Definitive (Present)

-this is what Paul is speaking of here. God has declared his people holy (consecrated for good works)!

2. Progressive

-an ongoing process of looking more like Jesus through spiritual disciplines

3. Eschatological

-glorification

Paul refers to the local church, Corinth, along with the universal church.

Four Kinds of Churches in theological terms

1. Universal

2. Local

3. Visible

4. Invisible

We need to hear that the church is not a building, but the people. At the same time, we need to be careful and not misunderstand that. The local church still requires the gathering of the saints, the preaching of God’s Word, singing, giving, leadership, the Lord’s Supper, baptism, and church discipline. These are required to have a true biblical church. Saints, meet at Starbucks and study God’s Word with your friends. But do not give up all the other aspects of the local congregation for Bible study.

Authors (Paul/Sosthenes)

Paul - apostle by the will of God.

The call of God is by His sovereign will, not ours. (God is Sovereign. Man is not sovereign)

The man that once killed and imprisoned Christians is not an ambassador a “sent out one” by Christ himself.

The man that was once called an enemy to God and the gospel is now called an apostle. That is the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Sosthenes

Acts 18:12–17 ESV

But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.” But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” And he drove them from the tribunal. And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.

The text is ambiguous. Sosthenes could have been beat because he too became a believer like Crispus. Or the Greeks could have beat him for bringing this issue and causing an uproar in the city.

Either reason for Sosthenes’ abuse, he now is a believer and companion of Paul while he is in Ephesus (1 Cor 15:8). The man that was likely once hostile to Christianity is now called a brother!

This man that likely once wanted to see the end of the gospel is now a traveling companion and amanuenses for Paul (1 Cor 16:21).

Gifted (vs. 4-8)

Thanksgiving

Paul gives thanks for the Corinthian congregations. This is incredible to think that the apostle Paul thanks God for them despite some spreading dissension and questioning his apostolic office, his preaching, or his personality.

Paul is able to thank God for one of the most messed up churches ever known. Saints, this is very difficult, but it is God’s will. Let us thank God for our fellow brothers and sisters even if they are difficult to deal with. I am serious. Can you pray and thank God for a believer that you don’t really get along with this week?

Grace

God’s grace is the only reason we have a story of redemption. Everything we have is owed to the grace of God.

In Paul’s mind, where does this grace come from? It comes through Jesus Christ.

It is easily forgotten that the fellowship of Christian brethren is a gift of grace, a gift of the Kingdom of God that any day may be taken from us, that the time that still separates us from utter loneliness may be brief indeed. Therefore, let him who until now has had the privilege of living a common Christian life with other Christians praise God’s grace from the bottom of his heart. Let him thank God on his knees and declare: It is grace, nothing but grace, that we are allowed to live in community with Christian brethren.

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Life Together (p. 9). (Function). Kindle Edition.

(Spiritual) Gifts

Paul is likely referring tongues and prophecy in particular (v.7)

Even outside the miracles sign gifts, God has blessed his people with spiritual gifts.

Evangelism, service, preaching, evangelism, etc.

Unified (v. 9)

Called into the fellowship of his Son

The Christian life is one that should be in communion and fellowship with God.

If you have no union with Christ, you may evaluate your self ,you

Called into the fellowship “to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 2)

NT love one anothers

Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. No Christian community is more or less than this. Whether it be a brief, single encounter or the daily fellowship of years, Christian community is only this. We belong to one another only through and in Jesus Christ. What does this mean? It means, first, that a Christian needs others because of Jesus Christ. It means, second, that a Christian comes to others only through Jesus Christ. It means, third, that in Jesus Christ we have been chosen from eternity, accepted in time, and united for eternity.

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Life Together (pp. 9-10). (Function). Kindle Edition.

Conclusion

Have you ever watched a family sit down and eat a meal together. I have been more aware of this recently. Next time you are eating somewhere, look at the family with a father, mother, and young children. You will generally see the normal jitters of a family eating at a restaurant. But then soon you will likely notice something. As the kids become bored of the coloring sheets and crayons they become restless. They begin to ask themselves, “What trouble can I get into?” As the become more unhinged you will see how mom will have her hands full. When the waiter comes to the table, the dad knows what he wants. The mom knows the entree, sides, drinks, and substitutions every kind wants on top of her own order. As they are eating, the mom is making sure nothing is too hot for the kids. She makes sure she removes all crust from the table. She makes sure everyone has the right items, the right dipping sauces, everyone has refills, etc… The husband is usually really focused on inhaling that meal.

He could have been really hungry and not paying attention to everything going on around him. But if that is the regular experience, the wife and kids come to expect this. Mom takes care of everything. Yes, the entire family is sitting to together and eating a meal. But they are not enjoying that meal together. That mom is in the middle of it all but she fells like she is all alone at the same time.

Saints, I want us to be on guard against this kind of fellowship among the body of Christ. We know the pastor and the deacons will take of that. We know that committee takes care of that. We know they do that. We don’t know who does that but it gets done.

What about our spiritual fellowship and sanctification. Do we even think about how to grow in your fellowship with God? Do you come to his Word expecting his gospel to sanctify you? When we come to the weekly gathering of the saints we must come ready to hear a word from God! I am not talking about new revelation! I am talking about hearing the sweet sound of gospel assurance. I am talking about the powerful word of holiness.

We all have a part to play in the fellowship of the saints and our fellowship with the Trine God! Do not sit ideally by while all the stuff is happening around you. I promise you the fellowship we share together will be hindered by our own personal ability and willingness to engage.

Application

Repent and put your faith in the Lord Jesus.

Give thanks to God

For your salvation, sanctification, and fellowship with Him!

For the gifts that God has given others in our congregation.

Ask yourself, are you using your gifting in this congregation?